The Briefcase
by Celestine Manning
Summary: Something happens one night that changes the rest of Cameron's life. Who is going to be their if she needs someone to pick up the pieces?
1. Chapter 1

She entered her apartment, flicking on the light switch and shutting the door behind her. She groaned softly as she set down her bed. The morning had dawned grey and damp and through the day the weather hadn't changed. Now her joints ached and it felt as though the cold had burrowed straight through her flesh to live in her bones. Kicking off her heels Cameron stretched out her muscles, listening to them snap and pop satisfactorily. The day at work had been hard. A thirteen year old girl had come into the clinic while Cameron was on duty and while she was walking from the waiting room to Exam room four she had gone into a seizure and died. Their efforts to revive her had no avail. Her death has stunned the patients in the waiting room and broken Cameron's heart knowing that if she has been simply a little bit faster with her last patient the girl would have been in to see her sooner and she might have been able to save her life. This girl's death shouldn't have affected her this much. House may be right, she may care too much sometimes but she couldn't help it, she couldn't not be who she was.

Cameron moved quietly though her apartment, filling up the kettle and putting it on the stove to heat up. She inserted some old fashioned jazz CDs into her player and set it on shuffle, turning the volume down low so that the sounds simply drifted through the speakers. She made her way to the bathroom, shedding clothing as she walked and turning the hot water spigot for her tub. While it was filling she returned to her kitchen, quieting the kettle and fixing herself a cup of tea. Finally she shed her underwear and sank into the hot water of her tub, sighing as it wet her skin, caressing her body. The heat worked its magic on her muscles, relaxing them and warming her body from the outside in. she allowed her mind to drift away, pretending that just for a moment the girl hadn't died today. That people didn't die there everyday and that she didn't watch them do it.

***

He sat in his chair in his office; the main room where his ducklings liked to sit was dark. He had been sitting there for hours, watching as the light faded from the sky and his ducklings left one by one. Chase had left first per usual. He had a new girlfriend who he was rushing off to see. She worked as a receptionist somewhere and had done some extracurricular modeling on the side. Trust Chase to pick them first for their beauty and then after check out their brains. Foreman had left awhile after, saying good bye to Cameron on his way out. Cameron had been the last to leave staying for several hours after returning from clinic duty quiet and subdued. She had refilled the coffee pot and sorted his mail though so he couldn't really complain. He tossed his ball in the air and caught it, thinking to himself.

*toss*

_He knew what their patient had._

*catch*

_He had ordered a nurse to start the man on the drugs he needed himself._

*toss*

_He would break the news to the ducklings in the morning._

*catch*

_Cameron would be happy the man wasn't going to die._

*toss*

_Cameron had looked depressed when she left tonight._

*catch*

_Cameron never looked upset after clinic duty. She actually *liked* helping the people._

*toss*

A knock on the door interrupted his musings. House caught the ball and nodded for the man outside to come in. He wore a dark, charcoal grey suit that fit him well with a white shirt underneath and a striped blue and gold tie. He dressed as though he had money but didn't want to flaunt it. _Lawyer_ House thought immediately. The man held his hand out to House as he introduced himself.

"Hello" his voice was smooth and deep. "I'm Leonard Wilkes; I am looking for a Dr. Allison Cameron."

House took his hand, returning the firm shake. He was too curious to be nasty. "I'm Dr. House, her boss. Cameron isn't in right now, can I help you?" He was curious. It wasn't everyday one of his fellows had a tall, handsome lawyer paying them calls at work.

He checked his watch, frowning at this information. "I'm afraid I have a meeting soon and I'm cutting it rather close. Will Dr. Cameron be back soon?"

"I'm afraid she is assisting with a surgery right now. If you would like I can relay any message you have to her." House kept his voice steady and his face straight as he lied. It was for a good cause he told himself. This man wasn't Cameron's type anyway.

He held up a brown leather briefcase that he carried. "I'll leave this with you then if you don't mind. Please make sure she gets it at the first opportunity. It's very important."

House took it from him, looking at its lock. "It's a key lock. How will she get into it?" This was becoming very strange.

The man was almost to the door in his haste to get to his next meeting. "Oh, she should have it. Just tell her it's the one from May 3, 2004. Thank you for your help Dr. House. Have a good evening." And with that he exited the office, striding down the hall quickly, his car keys already in hand.

House stood there watching him leave in confusion. _May 3, 2004_ he said to himself. After a moment of thinking he gathered up his keys, leather jacket and cane. He supposed that this was as good a reason to leave as any. He left his office, pausing only to shut the lights off and lock it. He took the elevator straight down to the parking garage on the bottom level. After carefully securing both the briefcase and his cane to his bike he put his helmet on, safety first and all that, and drove off into the night.

***

The hot water had lulled her almost to sleep in her tub, the teas fragrance permeating the room. She stretched out her left leg and heard the water slosh gently against the porcelain sides. She sighed and settled back again. Closing her eyes and letting their heaviness begin to take over her body. She felt so warm and comfortable with none of the tension remaining in her body. A sharp, hard knock rang out through her apartment causing her to groan and close her eyes tight. As though not being able to see could make it go away. When it came again she sighed, grasping the edges of the tub and levering herself out. She dragged a towel quickly across her body to soak up the worst of the moisture and slipped into a short satin robe that was hanging on the back of her bathroom door. The knock came again and she hurried, slipping slightly when her wet feet came in contact with the hardwood flooring of her living room. As she reached the door she cursed her landlord again for not having the sense to put in a peephole. To compromise she left the chain on, opening the door the crack that was allowed. House stood outside.

***

He had never been to Cameron's apartment before and the area of town it was in surprised him. It was a little rough for a woman living alone. He was knocking on her door for what seemed like ever before he heard her soft footsteps finally approaching the door. She opened it a crack, looking at him in confusion. "Are you going to let me in?"

She was confused, very, very confused. She had no idea why House was at her door late at night asking to be let in. Cameron was curious though so she complied, closing the door so that she could unhook the chain and opening it wide enough for him to pass through. She closed the door after him, turning, holding her robe closed tightly with one hand. "What are you doing here house? Its ten o clock at night."

Her voice sounded worried. Afraid something bad had happened to bring him to her door. Her hand holding the silky robe closed high on her chest caused it to rise higher on her legs than she had probably intended. He couldn't help himself from staring just for a moment at the way her damp legs flowed up and up until they were hidden by her robe. Her hair was damp also and the shorter pieces curled as though if they had been affected by humidity or steam. He realized she must have been indulging in a bath. Pausing for a moment he pulled himself away from the mental image she was presenting to him. _Think of the briefcase, your curiosity._ "A man came for you at the hospital. He said his name was Leonard Wilkes, he was a lawyer…" House paused. Cameron's face had gone ashy, her body sinking down into a chair. This was not going as he planned. He has been planning on teasing her about the mysterious man, drawing the torture out for awhile in the hope of getting some information he could use later before mentioning the briefcase. But to be honest her reaction scared him. He didn't expect it at all. He took a step closer to her, halting when she put her hand up, stopping him.

"What did he say House?" Her voice was low and rough in her throat.

"All he said was that you needed to get this briefcase as soon as possible and that you would already have the key to open it. He said the key was the one from May 3, 2004. You're not in trouble are you Cameron?" He watched her think this information over, her color not returning.

"No, no House I'm not in trouble." She got up from her seat in the chair and started moving down the dark hallway to what he assumed was her bedroom beyond.

"Where are you going?" His voice sounded agitated even to his own ears.

Her voice drifted back. "To get the key."


	2. Chapter 2

Somehow I forgot to put a disclaimer on the first chapter. Sorry about that, in case you were wondering House is not mind. Never had been, never will be.

I also found this chapter to be incredibly hard to write. I knew the chapter had to be their but it certainly didnt flow on out. I also think House seems incredibly ooc in this chapter and I'm sorry for that. Yeah this chapter just didnt go well.

Thanks everyone who reviewed :)

***

When she came back from her bedroom she had changed into flannel shorts and a tank top. Her hair still hung loose around her shoulders and she carried a small, silver key in her hand. She approached the briefcase carefully, watching it warily as though it would bite. She was afraid. She was afraid of what it would mean if that briefcase was what she thought it was. The key fit inside the lock perfectly her hand turned and the tumblers moved silently passed each other. She placed her fingertips against the leather, feelings the grain, the moisture locked inside the well taken care of leather, she was stalling, flat out stalling. She could feel House's eyes on her and she knew he was confused. Someone, a lawyer no less had shown up at work with a briefcase for her saying it was of the upmost importance that she receives the briefcase and that she would have the key. Not exactly a normal occurrence by any means. And then when he brings it to her home and tells her the message she looks like she'll faint. She knew why he was here. She wasn't stupid enough to think that he was there for any other reason than curiosity. Knowing him he probably wasn't even supposed to have received the briefcase in the first place. Lying really would get him everywhere. He was impatient. She could see his hands twitching as she took her time opening it. The only reason he hadn't said anything was probably because she had given him a turn with her reaction before. She sucked in her resolve, calling herself a sissy. Postponing this wasn't going to make anything change. She lifted the top of the briefcase up, looking inside. Immediately her eyes fell upon the legal document on top entitled **Last Will and Testament of Dylan Cameron**. She lifted it gently out of the briefcase even as her face crumpled and the tears came.

***

He had no idea what was going on. All he knew was Cameron had opened the box, taken out a sheaf of paper and lost it. She stood their quietly in front of him still holding the paper, one hand covering her mouth and tears streaming down her face. House could say with one hundred percent certainty that he was possibly the most uncomfortable he had ever been and he had no idea what to do. Crying women was definitely more Wilson's forte than his, even if the crying woman was Cameron. "Uhm.. don't cry." He even sounded awkward to his own ears. "Do you want to sit down?" He put his hand on the small of her back and directed her to her sofa. She waved back at the briefcase and he brought it over and set it on the coffee table, sitting on the other end of the couch from her. He was uncomfortable but he didn't actually think he could leave in any good graces when by bringing the briefcase to her he had caused the waterworks. Not to mention that if simply opening the briefcase had caused this kind of reaction he was a little afraid of what the rest would do. Cameron stirred from her place on the couch, straightening her back and wiping her eyes.

"Sorry about that House. I didn't mean to break down. I wasn't expecting this. Well I did eventually but just not tonight. It came as a surprise." Her voice was low and watery and she didn't meet his eyes.

"What do you mean you were expecting this at some point but not tonight?" Now he was just confused.

She sighed. Trying to brace herself she mentally gave herself a shake. "To explain what I meant would mean that we would have to get personal house. That I would have to tell you about myself." She sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "I wouldn't do that to you. You look uncomfortable enough as it is."

He looked at her, the shock evident on his face. Now there was something he really didn't expect. "Stop trying to save me from whatever this is Cameron, you can't win them all. Just explain what you meant."

She gave him a long look, her green eyes piercing. "I have a brother. The arrival of this suitcase means that he's dead." She stopped, giving House a moment to digest this before she continued. "He was four years older than me and when we were growing up we were inseparable." She reached into the briefcase and pulled out some faded pictures secured by a paper clip. Gently she rifled through them until she found one she was looking for and pulled it out, placing it on the coffee table in front of House. "This is us the summer I turned 16. He was 20 and halfway through college. I idolized him. He was everything a big brother should be."

The picture showed a tan, lanky, happy girl sitting on a swing in a park, pumping her legs to go higher. On the swing next to her an older, taller, muscular boy was managing to swing higher. On their faces were looks of laughter, delight at being able to enjoy each other's company even if it was on swings. Cameron's hair was longer in the picture, falling in brown waves to her waist, streaming out behind her. They looked happy and carefree. The epitome of siblings enjoying summer with each other.

"A couple of years after college he started working for the CIA. I don't know how they recruited him and I didn't ask. For years he did undercover operations. He described it as a giant game of cat and mouse and he always liked to be the cat." She smiled to herself, bowing her head for a moment. A loose tendril of hair fell over her face. "His coping mechanism was to see it like a giant game, one that he planned to win. The last time I saw him was May 3, 2004. That's when he gave me the key and told me that while hopefully I would never have a use for it but just in case I should keep it safe and to never tell anyone that I had it." She sniffled again, reaching for a tissue from the box on the table.

House didn't know what to say. This definitely wasn't what he expected. He wanted to make a comment to brush off the situation, make a joke out of it like he always did but this wasn't his tragedy it was Cameron's and he doubted she coped the same way he did. "What else is in the briefcase?" He had no idea what to say.

She looked up, part of her having forgotten he was there. Shifting slightly she looked back at the briefcase. "I don't know."

House rolled his eyes. "Well I assume everything is in there for a reason so you might as well look."

Cameron stared at him for a long moment before setting the will down on the coffee table. "Well there is his will. I suppose I will have to see a lawyer in the morning for that." She pulled the briefcase closer to her, taking a deep breath before plunging in. "The pictures which I already took out, he's had them for years. He always said they were his favorite memories." Her hand closed on an envelope, pulling it out. Her nail slid under the seal, breaking it easily. A key ring fell out. "Keys apparently, it looks like there is a house key, a car key and a safe key." A paper had fallen out from the envelope too. "He wrote down the name of a bank and a number. I guess I'll have to go there at some point."

House peered into the briefcase "What are those boxes there for?" Inside the briefcase were four small cardboard boxes like the kind you would buy jewelry in. Each box has a different country written on it in Sharpie. He lifted on out reading the country off the top of the box. "Spain?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Cameron smiled as she got up from the couch and took three more identical boxes from a bookshelf nearby. "Whenever he went to a different country on a mission he would bring me a rock back." She sat back down, placing the three boxes on the table. "Here is Canada, Mexico and Peru." She took off the tops revealing a smooth blue-grey rock from Canada, a brown-red rock from Mexico and pink opal from Peru. She took the four boxes and opened them too. "Spain is another brown-red rock; this one is more jagged though. Russia is grey, Jordan is layered red and orange and the one from Iraq is white, it looks like it was bleached by the sun." She smiled to herself as she looked the four rocks over. "Thanks for bringing the briefcase over House. I appreciate it."

He nodded to himself. This wasn't how he had planned for his night to go. Right now he felt too interested, to invested, too much like he cared. He rose quickly from the couch, grabbing his cane. He didn't think he had gone this long in someone's company without a snark in years. "Well… I'll see you in work tomorrow Cameron." He said as he limped to the door, leaving quickly. He didn't like this. He felt sorry for Cameron that her brother died and now that his curiosity was fulfilled and he knew what was in the briefcase he was satisfied but still. There was something about seeing Cameron break down like that that he didn't like. Something about how she had willingly told him about her brother, about part of her past. God he needed scotch. He needed to feel like himself again. Not like someone who cared.

Cameron had watched him walk out the door, had seen the look on his face. He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to her in a setting outside of work, in a setting he didn't control. She smiled slightly to herself. It wasn't every day that she managed to unsettle House. Sighing to herself she closed up the boxes with the rocks inside. Bringing them all back over to the book shelf and placing them there. She locked up the briefcase and placed it in her hall closet for safe keeping. She was tired. It was closer to midnight now and her day had been long. She turned the lights off in her kitchen and living room, making sure that the door was locked as she passed by. She stopped in the bathroom to drain the tub, flicking the switch as she left and plunging that room into darkness too. She entered her bedroom in the dark, finding her way to her bed by the light streaming in from outside. She placed the key to the briefcase back into her jewelry box and slipped in between her cool sheets, drawing the comforter over her. As she lay there she thought about her brother. How when she was little she had idolized him so much. He was her hero. Sighing she rolled over. She would not be getting a lot of sleep tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Per usual House isnt mine.

Reviews are much appreciated though :)

***

The next morning she arrived at work before everyone else. She was there before Chase, before Foreman, before Cuddy, before House and before the cleaning staff. She has set her laptop up at the seat at the table where she usually liked to work. When she was upset over something it affected her sleep she had learned long ago and the bigger the thing she was upset over, the more sleep she lost. When her mom had cancer she had been practically an insomniac. When she couldn't sleep all she could do was think and she had learned quickly that that never helped. She would just end up sinking herself deeper and deeper into her mind. When she was upset that was not the place to be. So in high school she had developed a method to cope. A stressful event would happen, she would not be able to sleep and instead of lying there, dwelling on whatever it was that was bothering her she would get up and work on something. In high school and college she would read ahead in her science books, waiting for her to become sleepy or the sun to rise, whichever happened first. Now that she was out of college and into the workforce she wrote papers. Papers after papers on the weird diseases she and the team had encountered but most Doctor had never heard of. So that's what she was doing at 5am in the semi darkened room of the hospital. By the time Foreman arrived at 8:30 she had finished her initial writing of the paper and was busily editing a print out of it in red pen. By the time Chase got to work at 9:05 she was editing for the second time, dutifully marking down these new changes in green. By the time House decided to appear at 10 she had completed her third edit in blue and was halfway through her fourth edit in purple. And people wondered why her papers turned out so good.

When House walked into Diagnostics the next morning he was greeted by the usual image of his fellows. Forman and Chase were both wearing dark suits that morning, one composing an email on his laptop and the other staring confused at a crossword puzzle. Cameron was set up there too with her laptop on the table and the area around her surrounded by a tornado of files, papers and colored pens. He never did quiet understand her method. Her feminine, vested, power suit was crisp and fitted on her body and her hair was perfectly coifed. Her makeup was subtle but highlighted her best features, her eye lashed spread out evenly in a dark fan and her lips had been stained a darker rose color, highlighting their plump shape. Despite her technically perfect outward appearance- the very sight of an employee ready to work-the circles under her eyes were dark, her eyes weary. She hadn't slept since he saw her last night.

"I solved the puzzle of the disease last night" House said announcing his presence to them. "I put him on the drugs last night. Chase go do my clinic hours" he tossed him his badge "Foreman, Cuddy needs help with something. Cameron-" he paused for a moment, dropping a large pile of mail in front of her. "Merry Christmas, here's my mail." And he limped off into his office.

He spent the next several days watching her. She spent the next several days descending into a state of depression. She was quieter during differentials, doing her work without comment. She continued to grow more lethargic, accepting his snark without comment or complaint while the circles below her eyes deepened and darkened. He waited for her to crack.

***

It had been a week since House had brought the briefcase to her apartment and she learned that her brother was dead. It had been a week since the other half of her life began. She was melancholy tonight. The memories always hit her harder in the evening. Tonight, she just didn't know what to do anymore. So she was here. At this non descript bar, after work on a Monday night, drinking rum. She felt pathetic. She knew she was pathetic but to be honest right now she didn't care. She just wanted to forget. The dry, cracked leather stool she sat on squished weirdly when she shifted her weight and the wooden bar she rested her elbows on was hard and scratched. As she stared into her drink she mused to herself. _This might be a new low._ What would Dylan say if he could see her now? She took a long swig from the class. Clearly she hadn't drunk enough if she was having those kinds of thoughts. Tonight wasn't for remembering. Tonight was just to forget.

This was one of Houses personal favorites as far as bars went. It was mid way between work and his apartment, the atmosphere was appropriately sleazy and no one from work knew anything about it. That's why when he walked in that Monday evening he was incredibly surprised to see one Allison Cameron sitting on his favorite bar stool, nursing a not very full glass of alcohol. He limped across the floor, making his way toward her. He slid onto the stool next to her and motioned to the bartender. "I'll have what she's having" he said, motioning to Cameron's drink. Her head didn't move, she didn't give any indication that she had heard him or even knew he was sitting there.

The bartender looked at Cameron hunched over and then at House. "All four?" he said, motioning under the bar, indicating that he had already confiscated her keys.

"How long has she been here?" House asked his voice low.

"About an hour. She pounded the first and the second, took it a little slower on the third. Looks like you've got yourself a little bit of a light weight there Greg. Here you go." He flipped him her keys.

Throughout the entire exchange Cameron had been motionless and completely unaware of Houses presence next to her. He shifted in his seat, turning his body towards her. Gently he rested his hand on her back; he didn't think he had ever seen Cameron drink before. "Come on Cameron, it's time to get you home." She spun around in surprise, apparently not having notices him before. Her wild eyes stared for a moment before she recognized him and calmed.

"I'm fine House. Please leave me alone." Her voice was trembly and low, betraying her state of mind.

"I'm sure you are sweet cheeks" He spun her around on the stool as the bartender took away her drink. "But you have ingested way too much alcohol especially for a light weight and there is no way you can drive in this condition." He slung one of her arms over his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. He planted his cane securely on the ground and heaved them both to standing. "Christ woman. What do you eat like a truck driver? You're going to bring this ship down." He maneuvered them towards the door as he began putting one foot in front of the other. In reality now that his hands were on her he could feel what her clothing otherwise covered. She was thin, almost frightfully so and slight enough that he probably could have carried her with minimal effort.

She protested for a moment at his actions. "But House I'm fine! I hardly had anything to drink and I'm not a lightweight!" her claims were offset by a slight slur on his name.

"I'm sure you are Princess. I'm sure you are." He grumbled as he led her anyways to his car.

***

The ride to his apartment was for the most part uneventful. He had given her keys back to the bartender before they had left so he could claim innocence on his ability to get her back to her apartment. _Oh dang_ he thought to himself. _I guess we'll just have to go to mine. _It was really tragic how those things happened sometimes. When they had pulled up to his apartment building and House had tried to get her out of the car she had protested slightly, mumbling something incoherent about how this wasn't the right place. A few words about the bartender and keys had quieted her though. If he were honest to himself he just wanted her near. Just for a little while. Just for one night. Plus if he simply just dropped her off at home she could fall asleep on her back, throw up, choke and die. Then where would he be. Without an immunologist that's where. He was just looking out for her really. He managed to get her in his apartment though without much difficulty to speak of. From there he set her on the couch so he could plan his next move. To be perfectly honest she was just tired. She had made it clear in the elevator as she had nuzzled her face into his coat that all she wanted to do was curl up somewhere warm and go to sleep. At this point he wasn't actually sure she would even remember anything in the morning and he didn't really see the harm in granting her request.

They made their way down his hallway towards his bed room, step by slow uneven step. Cameron was a remarkably quiet drunk which was something he hadn't expected, especially after how Chase had described her to Foreman after that incident where she got high. They finally got to his bed and he sat her down on it, her eyes closing tiredly. "House…" Her voice trailed off "I'm just so tired. I just want to go to bed." Her voice had become a breathy little whisper, teasing him, taunting him. She wasn't playing fair.

"Come on Cameron" he raised her arms up into the air "hold these puppies up. You need to change your clothes. He unbuttoned the buttons on one of her cute little work vests that framed her breasts to nicely and taunted him day after day unmercifully. After that was discarded his fingers gripped the bottom of her shirt underneath, pulling it up and over her head, leaving her in just her bra. Reaching behind him he snagged one of his t-shirts that he had grabbed along the way and carefully slipped her arms though the holes and over her head. "Ok Princess, lay back on the bed" she complied and House had a mental image of Cameron below him, naked, writhing in pleasure. He shook his head slightly to clear it, telling himself to focus. This was definitely not the time. Cameron had helped him by unbuttoning her dress pants and he slipped her heels off her feet and pulled from the bottoms so that her pants slid off of her hips and pooled by him at her ankles. House stayed strong and didn't stare at her underwear. He didn't notice how they happened to match her bra or how the coral lace hugged her hips in simply all the right places. He slipped a clean pair of his boxers around her feet and drew them up her legs until she lifted her butt so that they could settle happily along her hips. They were the only shorts he had that would be comfortable enough for someone to sleep in. He would know, he slept in a pair every night.

Cameron sat up on the bed, looking at him groggily. "What's going on House?" She used her right hand to push her unruly bangs out of her eyes.

"You're going to go to sleep Cameron. Remember? You said you were tired?" He pulled down the blankets and sheet on the bed so she could slip underneath them.

"Oh. Ok." She said complacently, doing as he directed. She reached behind her head and yanked her hair clip out from where it was digging into her scalp, throwing it across the room in annoyance. As House made a move to get up her hand flashed out, catching on his sleeve. "Where are you going?" She inquired, confused.

He sighed. Ever since college he had hated trying to explain things to drunken people. "I'm going to go to the living room so I can sleep Cameron" he said slowly, carefully removing her hand from his arm.

"How come?" She asked. It figured that now she would decide to get curious.

"Because I'm going to sleep on the couch Cameron" he explained.

"Oh. You could just sleep in the other half of the bed I suppose. But whatever you want. You're going to tuck me in before you go right?" Her eyes looked up at him big and round. The lamplight shining off them made her look so young.

"Of course Cameron. I'll tuck you in." He knew he couldn't say no. Not when he had found her drunk and distraught in a seedy bar in a bad part of town. Not when she lay quietly in his bed, wearing his clothes to sleep in. Not when she was Cameron.

She smiled as he pulled the blanket up around her. "You know House, sometimes you're not so bad." She said. "Sometimes I can even see why I like you."


	4. Chapter 4

Oddly enough House still isnt mine :(

Sorry this one took alot longer than usual. Everythings been pretty hectic lately. Chapter 5 should be up sometime next week if everything goes as planned.

***

When she woke up the next morning the sun was barely peaking through the window. She woke up slowly, her awareness of herself and her surroundings increasing by degrees. She was in a bed but it wasn't hers. It was much firmer than hers. Not what she was used to. The sheets were soft though and when she stretched her legs out they slid across them deliciously. She rolled over to her side burrowing her face in the pillow. She was comfortable here and she could feel sleep starting to seep gentle through her brain again. She took a deep breath in, preparing to sigh it out and relax further when the scent of the pillow she was laying on made its way to her brain. The smell on it was deep, a musky scent that smelled of soap and man. The pillow smelled like House. Cameron shot up in bed with a gasp and then immediately collapsed back down with a groan. She curled up in the fetal position and pulled the blankets over her head. Cocooning her body in the warmth and attempting to block out the headache raging through her head right now. She lay there for a moment reorienting herself and then began to sort out what she knew. From what she could remember about last night she had been depressed when she left work and had wanted to forget. She had gone to a random bar, someplace she had never been too and someplace where hopefully no one would recognize her. She remembered ordering alcohol. She remembered drinking a lot of alcohol. She guessed that her plan of no one being able to find her there failed. Maybe a little bit. Steeling herself she uncurled and emerged once again from the blankets. Looking around the room she noticed her clothing folded neatly on a chair and then that she was lying there in a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. As a general rule she didn't wear boxers that she knew of. _Shit_. House had undressed her. House had taken care of her. What was going on?

House had slept on the couch that night. He had been the gentleman and exiled himself from his bed room. He knew Cameron wouldn't remember a good portion of what happened last night and most likely wouldn't remember his appearance at the bar. Needless to say he didn't get a lot of sleep that night. He did however take an awful lot of vicodin. He also learned that his leg didn't appreciate couch support for long periods of time. He figured that was something that was good to know. A little after six in the morning he heard a gasp and a moan come from his bed room in rapid succession. Yep Cameron was awake. Very soon she would realize what had happened, would most likely freak out, clench up and be very, extremely, incredibly embarrassed. He had been there before. He knew what it was like. He didn't want to deal with her in the morning. That's what he told himself anyway. He didn't want to have to see the embarrassed thanks in her eyes. He didn't want to have to see the knowledge that he had seen her in her underwear. He would leave her her dignity. He would let her slip out in the early morning light like a cheap fuck that maybe never should have happened.

She had managed to get out of bed and out of House's clothing successfully before she had to sit down. It felt like a full construction crew was erecting a building inside her skull. She felt a lot like she wanted to die. This was not a good way to wake up. She heaved herself up again, stumbling slightly as she got to her clothing. She pulled them on quickly, taking advantage of the slight lull in the throbbing of her headache. Now that she was dressed with her heels hanging from her finger she could go, just as soon as she found her purse.

He heard her creep out of his bedroom trying to be quiet. He heard her stop at the sight of him 'sleeping' on the couch. He heard her continue on, finding her purse on the table by his door and he heard her soft swear as she realized her eyes weren't there. He also heard her silence as she found the twenty he had left for her to take a cab back to the bar. He heard her go out the door, leaving an almost silently whispered "thanks" behind her. He waited a minute, to be sure she was gone and then he was up like a rocket. Well as much of a rocket as he could be with a stiff, painful, bum leg weighing him down. But the point was he was up and moving in record time, limping quickly down the hall to his bed room. As soon as he got there he collapsed on the bed, rolling himself in the blankets and praying quickly for sleep to come. He was exhausted.

***

Monday at work was awkward. Cameron had expected this. She just didn't know what to do otherwise. She couldn't not be awkward knowing what had transpired between her and House the other night. It was simply how she was. She was as usual the first person at work. She entered the room carrying her bag, gently flicking on the lights as she passed by them. She set her bag at her desk looking around. It looked the same as before. She didn't know why she expected it to look any different. She began her morning routine, making the coffee with precision, knowing that that was how House liked it. She washed the collection of coffee cups that the neither Foreman nor Chase could never seem to remember to do before they left at the end of the day and drifted around the room, tidying up the messes that always seemed to collect. She opened the door into Houses sanctuary and continued her organizing there. The gathered the mail that had come in that he hadn't given her and created a nice little pile back in the main room for her to go through. That's how Chase and Foreman found her when they got into work; she was sitting at the table looking like the very picture of professionalism as she sorted mail, making little comments on sticky notes and attaching them to the front so that when she went to answer them she would know what needed to be done. They fell into their usual companionable silence as they waited for House to arrive.

House had arrived late as usual and had immediately sequestered himself in his office. Chase and Foreman had gone to complete their clinic hours and after some paperwork Cameron had all intentions to follow them. She gathered the forms she had been working on up and entered House's office to get his signature on them. He was sitting in his chair leaning back and tossing his ball in the air. His eyes flickered to the door when she walked in but other than that he gave no indication that he even knew who she was. She placed the forms in front of him and shifted nervously. She had a question to ask him but only if this worked out for the better. "I need your signature on these forms before they can be filed." Her voice was loud in the quiet room as she interrupted House. On his part he stopped tossing the ball and complied. Snatching a pen and begin to scribble out his signature over and over. "Soo uhm… I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something." He looked up at her, his blue eyes staring, unblinking in their focus. He signaled for her to continue. "My brothers funeral is coming up and I have to travel back home for it. Ever since my mother died my father has been very clear about how much of a disappointment I am due to the fact that I am a working professional and am not married, have no potential male friends and have no kids. So since you already know about my brother and his death…" she trailed off. He was unnerving her by not saying anything. She started backing out of the office shaking her head. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Stop. What were you going to ask me?" His blue eyes lit up with the color curious. It wasn't like Cameron to be this way. She was normally self assured and at least somewhat confident with herself but here she was obviously nervous and looking none too happy to have to ask this. And she had brought up her father.

"I was wondering if you would accompany me to my brother's funeral for the weekend. It's Friday to Sunday." Her voice was apprehensive. She didn't like having to ask him for favors.

"Accompany you." House sounded thoughtful. "In what capacity?" He knew there was more to this than what she was disclosing.

"As a male friend." She wouldn't come right out and say it. She couldn't.

"As your boyfriend. Trying to make it look to daddy as though you're not as lonely as he thinks you are? Not as much of a 'disappointment?'" He threw her words back out into the air as he watched her.

She looked at the ground. She should have known that House would mock her. She shouldn't have done this. "Never mind House. Forget I said anything. Let me know when you're done signing the forms and I'll file them." She moved towards the door but his voice stopped her.

"I'll do it. But for a price."

She paused. "Ok what do you want?"

"I'll let you know. E-mail me the information for this. You're driving by the way. Here are your forms."

She took the forms from him smiling a little to herself as she exited the room, heading off to file them before House could change his mind.

Christ. What had he done? He was going to go and spend a weekend with Cameron pretending to be her boyfriend. He saw this as ending badly. How was he going to do this?

***

The car pulled up in front of a big, white and brick house, the November sky overcast as a golden retriever played on the front lawn, big oak trees stood stately and tall around the house, their branches bare and their red and gold leaves carpeting the ground beneath them. Cameron shut off the car sighing to herself. She looked over at House. "Ready?" She didn't wait for an answer as she opened the door, stepping out into the cold air. House opened his door too, mimicking her movements and exiting the car. The front door of the big house opened and a young blonde woman stepped out, flawlessly dressed in a light blue pencil skirt and a white, collared shirt. Her ash blonde hair was twisted gracefully up in a French knot on the back of her head. Her black, peep toe, kitten heels completed her outfit. She looked to be about 24.

"Oh Ally honey!" the woman's voice rang out piercingly across the lawn. "Oh finally you're here! Goodness we've been waiting for what seems like hours." She rushed down the steps to give Cameron a hug.

"Hi Victoria, sorry there was traffic on the interstate." Cameron said, her voice muffled by the shoulder she was being pressed into.

"And who is this you brought with you Ally dear?" She said finally noticing House standing several feet back from them.

Cameron turned to introduce him. "This is Doctor Gregory House, my boyfriend." Her voice almost gave a little hitch when she said what he was to her. She managed to control it but wow was that weird to say. It didn't seem to sound right to her.

House held out his hand to her "You can call me Greg."

"Oh Greg! I'm so pleased to meet you! We had no notion that Ally was seeing someone! Oh dear I'm afraid we don't have any more guest rooms empty. Oh well, I'm sure you two won't mind sharing. You are dating after all. Oh I must go get William. I think he is with Emmaline. He'll be most pleased to meet you Dr. House." She bustled off into the house leaving them at the door.

House leaned over to Cameron, his eyebrows rising in question. "Ally?" he said, watching her expression darken as she scowled at him.

"Victoria and my father are the only people who insist on calling me that ridiculous nickname" Cameron said explaining.

"I don't know" House said as he followed Cameron into the house "it could fit you… happy to be home? Ally?"

Cameron's glare intensified but before she could retort a well dressed man carrying a young child descended the carpeted stairs into the foyer.

"Ally, how nice to see you, Victoria said you hit traffic on the way, I hope it wasn't too bothersome for you." His voice was deep and as he reached her he leaned over to place a peck on her cheek.

"It was fine Papa, just a minor inconvenience. This is my boyfriend, Doctor Gregory House." She introduced House standing next to her.

"It's very nice to meet you. Ally…" he turned back to her "this is your sister Emmaline, hold her for me would you? She's only a year old and I need to help Victoria with something." He shoved the toddler at her and walked back up the stairs.

The shock on Cameron's face was evident to House as she automatically took the girl from her father, settling her on her hip. "You have such a lovely family Cameron. I can see where you get your charm from. I'm upset though, you never told me you had a sister before." He stepped farther into the foyer as his sarcastic remarks continued. He looked back at Cameron who looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the toddler tangled her cubby fingers in the chain around Cameron's neck.

"I…" her voice trailed off. "I wasn't aware I had one." She looked down at the little girl she held in her arms. This wasn't what she had expected at all.


	5. Chapter 5

So quite clearly my estimation on when this chapter would be up was WAY off. My bad. Here you go though! Reviews are amazing!

House is not mine.

The room Victoria had given them to stay in was nice. Really, really nice. House wouldn't say he was surprised after having seen the rest of the house but still. He was impressed. Cameron had let him use the attached bathroom to get ready for bed first and now he lay in the queen size bed thinking as she used the bathroom. He could hear her moving around in there softly. Seeing where Cameron came from today and the kind of people she had grown up around was baffling to him now. How had she managed to make it out of this and be a well adjusted member of society? How had she ended up being a good person? Someone able to care about other people and want to help them? The only answer he could come up with was her mother.

The rest of their day after they arrived had been interesting to say the least. Victoria had come back downstairs soon after to collect Emmaline from Cameron and then soon after that they had been whisked away into the dining room for dinner and to meet the rest of the family that would be staying at the house through the funeral. The bevy of uncles, aunts and cousins hadn't interested House in the slightest and he had merely stood at Cameron's side as she made the obligatory rounds though her family, introducing him to them over and over. He saw the whispered conversations that happened behind her back. All of these people seemed to be fascinated by the fact that little Ally who defied her father's wishes and went to med school, never found a man and had essentially become the families disgrace had now showed up with an older, dashing man with a cane. They didn't give her anywhere near enough credit. After dinner the group had gone to the den to share stories of their recent adventures in stock and how best to find reliable help these days. House had watched Cameron. They sat together on a couch as Cameron listened attentively to an Aunt. House's arm lay along the back of the couch almost touching her shoulders but just not quite. To anyone else she looked like the picture of attentiveness, her eyes focused on the woman's face, her head nodding in all the right places. House knew better though than to think that she was taking any of this in. In her eyes was the same look that often snuck across her face when she had to listen to Chase or Foreman go on about some inconsequential thing that only boys seemed to be able to tolerate never mind like. House thought he might as well have some fun.

Cameron was bored. Cameron was really, really bored. She couldn't even believe how bored she was. This was worse than all those times Foreman and Chase had decided to compare the merits of girls with different cup sizes while she was sitting at the table with them. This woman would not stop talking to her. As she sat there on the couch, her face a perfect mask of attentiveness she felt something brush against her hair. It was a light thing; a touch that might have been there might have not. She ignored it trying to focus on something else but there it was again. Something soft, almost like a breath that escaped this time, just enough air to ruffle her hair.

House wondered if she noticed what he was doing. The slight breathes he had been aiming at the back of her head were succeeding in ruffling her hair ever so slightly as they passed by. His arm that had been lying across the back of the couch shifted slightly, just enough for his hand to be able to make contact with her hair if he so choose to allow it to do so. Her hair was so close, gleaming in the lamplight, begging to be touched really. One of his fingers moved closer, slipping under a wavy brown strand of hair and twisting gently, curling it around his finger. It was as soft as he had imagined. He rubbed it gently across his fingers, tempting himself with its softness.

He was teasing her. Playing gently with her hair, so soft she could only feel it sometimes. He was distracting her, causing her breath to come undone silently every so often. This wasn't fair.

He wanted to make her squirm. He wanted her to crave him just a little bit. He knew why she had asked him to come with her to her brother's funeral. Yes part of it was for the reasons she said when she asked him. Part of it though was because no matter how hard she denied it and fought it like hell she liked him. There was a small part of her inside somewhere where those feelings still lived on. The fact that she trusted him enough to bring him to this at all said something right there. He wondered if she knew she still felt this way. He wondered if she knew that he liked that.

***

Cameron came out of the bathroom carrying her toiletry bag and wearing short flannel shorts and a cotton tank top. She crossed to the other side of the room and put her toiletries back in her bad before looking at House. He was sprawled on the left side of the bed, one arm thrown half-hazardly under his head to prop it up as he stared at the ceiling. "Is it ok if I shut the light off?" Her voice was quiet like she was nervous. House looked at her, his blue eyes piercing for a long moment before he nodded his consent.

He watched her pad quietly across the floor and flick the switch off, plunging them into darkness. He could hear her feet gently pad back across the room. The bed dipped gently as she sat down and slid under the covers to lie beside him in the bed. The silence that hung between them was awkward. She sighed quietly and shifted her body to a more comfortable position. "How…" his voice trailed off. Apparently the darkness was making him bold. "How have you been lately? Coping… and everything." He remembered how he had found her recently, how she had been upset and depressed enough that night to drink that much. She wasn't much of a drinker. He knew that for certain. The side of his body closest to her seemed to be hyper aware of her warmth, over in tune to any movement she might make. Her breath came in a breathy little gasp for a moment and then she answered.

"I've… I've been trying to be better. To cope better. Differently." Her voice was low. They hadn't talked about that night yet. She wasn't proud that she had turned to alcohol to solve her problems but she was only human.

His eyes continued to watch her face. "Do you want to talk about it or whatever?" House felt awkward. He wasn't used to offering to talk about feelings with anyone and now that he had he couldn't necessarily say that he liked it.

She shook her head smiling slightly at his obvious discomfort. "No House I'm fine. It's not going to happen again." She turned over quietly, shutting him out and closing her eyes. She tried to fall asleep.

This whole situation was weird. He had no idea how he had gotten himself mixed up in this either. Here he was, posing as her boyfriend in a high class community of Massachusetts for her brother's funeral so that her family wouldn't think she was a complete disgrace and he couldn't even snark. This was weird.

***

The night for House was long. After their talk Cameron had fallen asleep quickly and on her side facing away from him. He lay there next to her, feeling the warmth of her body seeping across the bed to him. At some point she stirred, rolling over to her other side, facing him now. She lay on her side and he turned on his so that he was facing her. He watched her sleeping. She lay with one hand curled up beneath her chin and the other fisted in the sheets. Her face was burrowed into the pillow and he wished it was his shoulder. When she slept her brow un-furrowed and her face looked peaceful. Younger. A couple strands of hair had fallen across her face and he gently ran his finger beneath them, placing them behind her ear. She shifted and he froze, scared she would wake up. She didn't though and fell back into her dream, snuggling closer to him unconsciously. He watched her lying so close to him and wondered how he had gotten so lucky.

Cameron was running. She was running quickly through a dark forest where branches reached out at her, grabbing, gripping and tearing at her clothing. Her breath came in sharp gasps and a stitch tore through her side. The wind howled through the empty trees as it came for her. She had to run faster. She had to outrun the beast that chased behind her. He was bad. She could feel it rolling off him in angry, dark waves. She glanced behind her, her heart pounding in her chest. A tree root snagged her foot and she tripped, falling down and hitting the ground with enough force to drive the wind out of her chest. This couldn't be happening to her right now, she scrambled, backing up, her eyes trained on the beast as he advanced. His nostrils were flaring taking in her scent and snorting out hot acrid breaths. He continued to move forward and as he reached her, his hand stretching out to grasp her ankle she screamed louder than she had ever screamed in her life, the scream of someone who didn't want to die. She screamed loud and long and sat bolt upright in bed. Her breath came in gasps as she looked around herself in panic, trying to orient herself. Beside her someone stirred and her heart leaped again in fear.

House sat up in the bed confused. He had been having a dream about the Caribbean and then there had been a horrible, gut churning scream that had awakened him. He saw Cameron sitting there wide eyed with fear and he realized what had happened. He reached his hand out to her making quiet shushing sounds when she recoiled in a panic. "Shh Cameron its ok. You just had a bad dream." His hand rubbed her back gently, bringing her back to the present and out of the dream world. "You're safe now, come here and hush. You're fine. There isn't anything here." He knew how devastating nightmares could be from personal experience. He also knew how much better it was when there was someone else there to make it all better after. He lay back down against the pillows, gently coaxing her body down with his. "Now tell me what your dream was about. Why were you so scared?"

House was there. She wasn't in the woods anymore. She wasn't alone. House was there, he was real and physical and warm and talking to her. He was taking care of her. He didn't mind that she had nightmares. His hands on her shoulders were warm and real, coaxing her to lie back down with him. He rubbed her shoulders as he murmured soft words in her ear. He was asking her what he dream was about. She rolled over, burying her face in his shoulder shaking her head no.

House shifted slightly, nudging her head up a little with his shoulder as he bent his head to whisper at her. "It's ok Allison. You're safe now. You can talk about it. That's the only way you're going to feel better." One of his hands stroked her back and the other tangled in her hair, holding her to him. He didn't like seeing her scared and vulnerable like this.

She shuffled slightly, trying to get closer to him and the safety he provided. "I was in the woods somewhere and something was chasing me." Her voice was muffled and low, the sound blocked by his shoulder.

"Ok what kind of woods were they?" He kept his voice low and soothing.

"Dark scary ones, with tree branches that attacked." She kept her face hidden.

He could feel how her body stayed tense in his arms. He didn't want her to be this way. He nudged her head up off his shoulder so he could look into her eyes. One of his hands came up to hold the side of her face. "There is nothing here that is going to get you Allison, nothing. I won't let that happen. You're safe here with me, I promise."

Her head went back down to burrow into his shoulder again as she nodded. He turned into her, pulling her closer and wrapping the blankets tighter around them. He felt her legs entwine carefully with his, she was mindful of his scar. He didn't mind. If anything the warmth helped to sooth the muscle pains. He understood why Cameron, who was usually so careful about personal space, was invading his so drastically now. Sometimes you just needed the comfort, the human contact, the knowledge that you weren't the only one out there. She snuggled in further and he kissed her on the top of the head as he hoped that the knowledge that Greg House comforted people after they woke up from nightmares would go with them to the grave.


End file.
